Weekly meal plan 12/06

Hello December.... I am excited about the weather getting bit colder over here, finally!! I have some fun and festive recipes coming your way for Christmas breakfast, a nice cocktail, desserts, some appetizers, .... I will share also some classics from my book that I published a couple of years ago. I always love cooking ground the Holidays and create some fun memories for my family!

Monday: Red lentil soup. I love this soup because it is really satisfying and soooo easy to make. I will serve the focaccia that I made yesterday as a nice crunchy side! I also always arrange a crudités platter so everyone has something to nibble on.

Tuesday: Turkey chili.  I made a double batch of this recipe a few weeks ago and am so happy I did, so Tuesday's dinner is already done. The fun part about this are all the toppings; avocado, tortilla chips, cour cream, cheese,...

Wednesday:  Deconstructed chicken pot pie.  This is a classic from my blog that I love making around the holidays! I bake the (store bought) puff pastry separately and it really adds a nice crunch to the dish!!

Thursday: Winter Niçoise salad.I love a good niçoise and make them all the time in the summer. I am trying something new here with more hearty/wintery veggies and we'll see how it turns out.... I will share it for sure if it is successful!

Friday: Spaghetti butternut squash caccio peppe.  This is a classic that everyone enjoys here and I can make a version with squash or zucchini noodles for me. I have also been enjoying hearts of palms noodles recently. They are a nice substitute and taste delicious!

Saturday: Baked ricotta meatballs. I love this one tray dinner! The ricotta gives a nice and moist texture to the meatballs here.  I am roasting the veggies on the same tray and it really builds up a nice mix of flavors.

Sunday: Salmon and rice bowls. I love this recipe, it is also a really great way to use leftover salmon!!! Kids are huge fans of this as well!!